Chiricahua National Monument

Note: In 2011, much of this beautiful park was burned in the Horseshoe 2 Wildfire. About 240 miles southeast of Phoenix, the Chiricahua National Monument contains stunning rock formation and gorgeous scenery. It is known to bird watchers world-wide for its many exotic winged species. The drive will take 4-5 hours, so you may want to make this a week-end trip. You can stay in Wilcox, AZ or camp at the monument. ($12 per night. You can make reservations online.)

Spend your day hiking and exploring some of the most beautiful terrain in Arizona. There is no admission fee to the park. Even if you aren’t a bird watcher, keep you eye open for brightly colored parrots that fly in from Mexico. We’ve also seen a coatimundi.

If you are a history buff, you can also visit small, historic towns such as Paradise and Portal. You are also near old Apache territory, where Geronimo roamed.

Our last visit was in February. We were treated to magnificent snow-covered scenery, although we would recommend going a bit later in the spring if you plan on camping.